The Vande Bharat Express, a high-speed luxury train, is already operational in many parts of India. Recently, Minister V. Somanna shared an important update regarding the much-anticipated Bengaluru-Mangaluru route.
This new service promises to enhance connectivity and convenience for travellers between these two cities.
Currently, Karnataka hosts the Vande Bharat Express on ten routes. These include Bengaluru-Dharwad, Mangaluru-Madgaon, Hubballi-Pune, Bengaluru-Kalaburagi, Mysuru-Chennai, Bengaluru-Hyderabad, Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram, Mysuru-Chennai again, Bengaluru-Coimbatore, and Bengaluru-Madurai. The addition of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route will increase the total to eleven.
Bengaluru-Mangaluru Route Progress
Minister Somanna revealed that 22 kilometres of the necessary electrification work for the Vande Bharat train on this route is complete. The remaining 33 kilometres are still under progress. This development will benefit residents across four districts: Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Hassan, and Mangaluru.
The railway line between Hassan and Mangaluru features 57 tunnels and 700 bridges. A survey for doubling this line has been conducted. An estimated budget of ₹50,000 crore is required for this project. Minister Somanna mentioned that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared and tenders will be invited soon.
Land Acquisition and Construction Updates
Officials have been instructed to acquire land for the Belur-Hassan railway line by July 20. Meanwhile, construction on the Kadur-Chikkamagaluru-Belur route is progressing over a stretch of 68 kilometres. Completion is expected shortly as per recent updates.